Dan Pompei

After more than two years in NFL exile, the timing and circumstances could not be better for Michael Vick’s return.

Consider:

• The Eagles are playing at home, where the potential for anti-Vick sentiment is considerably lower than it would be in many other cities. Sure, they may be a protester or two, or a silly sign here or there. But the bottom line is Philadelphia is ready to embrace Vick if he can help the Eagles.
• Their opponent is the Chiefs, or shall we say the Washington Generals. Who else would you rather have him play?
• He is playing for one of the NFL’s most stable franchises, with a strong head coach, a clear cut vision, and solid game planning and play calling.
• The Eagles need him. They are hurting for playmakers with quarterback Donovan McNabb, running back Brian Westbrook and wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis all injured. In fact, a source close to him expects him to play a considerable role in the game, taking snaps at multiple positions.
• Vick is ready to take advantage of this opportunity. Eagles sources say he has worked extremely hard since he has been under contract, and he is close to being in top physical condition.

What Vick is not prepared to do is be a starting quarterback. And he won’t be that, even if McNabb remains sidelined. Vick has not had enough reps in the offense and enough time working with coaches, receivers and game tape to be expected to be able to direct an offense for 60-plus snaps.

What he can do is be used extensively from the quarterback, running back and wide receiver positions in a package.

Video   Ready to go Michael Vick says he's giddy about his first regular season game with the Eagles this Sunday.

The question NFL scouts, coaches and players have about Vick is whether he has lost anything physically during his time away. Based on what the world has seen in preseason, and based on what Vick has shown the Eagles, the answer is maybe a little. But not much.

Doug Plank has a unique perspective on Vick. He was around him quite a bit when he worked at the Falcons complex as the head coach of the Arena League’s Georgia Force. And as an assistant secondary coach for the Jets,  he competed against Vick and the Eagles in a preseason game.

This was his take on Vick: “He’s a world class athlete in terms of his ability to run and throw. From a physical standpoint, it appears there is not much of a dropoff. I wouldn’t suspect his strength or speed has dropped significantly. You can see in our game he has the zip on the ball. No question he can deliver the football. Anybody who watched that film could see that.”

Some who watched the film also might have thought Vick might not have had quite the burst he had when he was playing for the Falcons. “There was some talk that he wasn’t as explosive getting around the corner,” said Plank, a former NFL safety. “But having been an athlete, I know it’s amazing how when you don’t know what you’re doing, it slows you down. You’re trying to read, extract your responsibilities, your assignments, figure out who is open. With having just a couple weeks before he had to go on the field, there is so much to digest.”

So what is most significant in terms of Vick’s re-acclimation is his reintegration into an NFL offense. The more Vick knows, the faster he’ll play, and the quicker he will make everyone forget where he has been the past two years.